STOCKTON - Despite lingering reports of unsanitary conditions and inadequate medical care at the newly built California Health Care Facility in Stockton, officials say the institution is working to fix problems that have brought prisoner admissions to a screeching halt.

Jennie Rodriguez-Moore

STOCKTON - Despite lingering reports of unsanitary conditions and inadequate medical care at the newly built California Health Care Facility in Stockton, officials say the institution is working to fix problems that have brought prisoner admissions to a screeching halt.

Clark Kelso, a federally appointed receiver overseeing health care in California's prisons, ordered the facility to stop admitting inmate patients and delayed the activation of an adjacent mental health facility, saying the prison has been unable to provide enough hygiene and medical supplies. The circumstances have likely contributed to an outbreak of scabies, a highly contagious skin infection caused by mites.

An advocacy group brought to light the suspicious death of an inmate, also raising concerns of sick prisoners having to use the wrong size catheters, spending the night in soiled diapers and waiting on calls to medical personnel that went unanswered.

In the wake of such reports, prison officials said during a tour of the facility with The Record on Wednesday that changes are under way to address the shortfalls Kelso has reported to the federal court.

"With any new institution you're going to have problems," said Lt. Lee Herron, a spokesman for the California Health Care Facility, characterizing the issues as "hiccups."

But the uniqueness of the facility - the largest centralized medical center for prisoners in the nation - poses extra challenges in getting settled, Herron said.

"We're doing things that no one has done," he said.

Those changes can't come soon enough for 58-year-old Kenny Rogers, a dialysis patient in the low-acuity housing unit who flagged down reporters during the tour to demonstrate that some problems still persist.

He held up his cardboard lunch box that stated his allergy to fish on a sticker label. And he pulled out a container filled with tuna.

"This is what I get in my lunch right here," he said. "I've gotten that like 10 times in a row continuously, and I can't eat fish," Rogers said. "Today, I told the lady they gave me the fish again and she says, 'What am I supposed to do?' That's how bad it is here."

Rogers said sometimes the fish is replaced with something he can eat, other times it's not, and he goes without eating.

On one occasion, he said, "There was a big fiasco about just getting me a piece of baloney or something else to eat."

Rogers complained about numerous things, including a past issue with his dialysis treatment. "My biggest thing is the medical," he said.

Rogers said a doctor at the facility switched his 14-gauge dialysis needle to a smaller size, which caused blood to seep from his wound.

"The doctor said we don't do 14-gauge needles here and he refused (to change it) for a month and a half. And all my labs in the machine were running horribly.

"And then he finally broke down and got me the 14. I haven't had a problem since."

Not everyone shared Rogers' sentiment about the facility, built specifically to house some of the most ill patients in California's overcrowded prison system.

Edward Williams, 58, was having stitches removed from his leg at the facility's outpatient clinic after having leg surgery.

Williams' leg bone damage stemmed from having contracted Valley Fever in 2011 while staying at California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, he said. He's had a better experience in Stockton.

"I think it is a good facility - good enough to hook me up with some medicine that really works," Williams said. "I think I was blessed to come here to receive (the medications).

"The medical staff is wonderful. There's no complaints with me."

Williams said he "knows" he is treated humanely at the facility.

The 54-building complex in southeast Stockton was constructed in response to a federal court order that found California inmates were not receiving a constitutional level of medical care.

California also has been ordered to reduce its prison population to 137.5 percent of capacity, and last week was given a two-year extension to comply.

Kelso, who will oversee prison health care until the state is ready to take over the function, has questioned in reports to the court that the state has the ability to take that step.

He described a complete breakdown of the supply chain system at the facility, which opened in June, stating it has been unable to provide sufficient and timely hygiene and medical supplies to patient inmates.

"This, combined with reports of general unsanitary conditions in cells, has likely contributed to an outbreak of scabies at the institution," Kelso said in the report.

The outbreak of scabies has since been cleared up, said Liz Gransee, public information officer for California Correctional Health Services, also known as the receiver's office.

An inspection report from the Prison Law Office in Berkeley also noted the prison's failure to provide timely medical care and treatment.

One inmate who had been complaining of excessive bleeding died after medical staff responded to his calls for help 30 minutes after he made them, according to the prisoner advocacy firm.

Gransee said the death of the 50-year-old inmate is under review but said privacy laws prevent her from disclosing other information.

The law office also reported other serious findings, including an incontinent inmate's account that he was left in his own feces overnight.

Kelso also has stated the facility has had a difficult time filling clinical and administrative positions.

During Wednesday's tour, Gransee said nursing staff is meeting every day.

"They're making sure that the policies and procedures are set in place," she said. "As we continue to make improvement, you will see changes within the facility."

Gransee said in addition to looking into policies and procedures, the receiver's office is looking into staff ratios and has hired two outside consulting firms to assist in solving the issues.

In regards to logistical problems in delivering medical and other supplies, Herron said the corrections department - which is responsible for the provisions - has modified the ordering process.

"It's not like there was a lack of supplies," Herron said. "It was just a lack of communication on how we did our ordering and delivering."

Initially, the facility had designated one person to monitor and order stock, a method that resulted in a backlog of order requests too burdensome for the one person to handle.

The facility's inventory of medical supplies was limited to certain items, but as ill prisoners arrived with more special needs, staff had to make orders of particular items, said Capt. Antonio Ladson.

While the special orders are filled, Herron said, "We're going to supply what we have."

Supply delivery has improved, he said, adding that prison staff is continuing to train and officials are communicating to solve the issues.

"It's coming along," Herron said.

Contact reporter Jennie Rodriguez-Moore at (209) 943-8564 or jrodriguez@recordnet.com. Follow her at recordnet.com/courtsblog and on Twitter @TheRecordCourts.